Benji Radach plans on 2009 return, possible EliteXC title shot

Benji Radach plans on 2009 return, possible EliteXC title shot

http://mmajunkie.comWhile the stunning performance that opened up the recent “EliteXC: Heat” broadcast has since become a footnote to the controversy surrounding the evening’s main event, middleweight slugger Benji Radach (19-4) may still benefit from the win.

While a guest on a recent episode of TAGG Radio (www.taggradio.com), the official radio partner of MMAjunkie.com (www.mmmajunkie.com), Radach said he may be in line for a title shot in early 2009.

“[EliteXC] hasn’t given me a straight-up answer yet,” Radach said. “But they’re kind of hinting back and forth between getting [a title shot] right off the bat and also maybe fighting Scott Smith beforehand.”

Radach said that if granted, the shot would come early next year.

“It would be 2009,” Radach said. “I think February.”

Despite having just one fight for EliteXC, Radach debuted in stellar fashion. Leading off the Oct. 4 CBS broadcast, the 29-year-old outlasted former EliteXC middleweight champion Murilo “Ninja” Rua in a shootout.

“It was tough,” Radach said of his bout with Rua. “That guy was just a tough dude. He took a lot of shots. He was giving them right back.

“I threw down so hard that first round that I really had to sit in the back seat that second round and let him dictate the pace for a minute so I could get my wind back, then hopefully pull it off in the end of the round — or at least win the end of the round. It worked out for me.”

The tension between the two strikers was palpable during the bout. Radach said the pressure was built through the ferocity of Rua and his teammates in the days leading up to the bout.

“There was a lot of emotion in the fight, and I think it was just because of the Chute Boxe guys,” Radach said. “Those guys always kind of get in your face and stir things up.

“[Rua] definitely was. At the pre-fight press-conference, and then at the weigh-ins, he was in my face and kind of stirring up emotions for our fight. I don’t know if it worked for him. I know it made me more focused and aggressive. It definitely stirs up some emotion and gets the fight going.”

Once the action moves from the build-up to the cage, Radach and Rua took turns throwing haymakers.

“It was amazing,” Radach said. “I caught him with some big shots. And I’d see him hurt — he’d be looking through me. Then I would just miss him with a finishing shot. Then he’d be right back to his feet, his bearings were right back in place.

“It was really amazing, because I really did catch him with some hard shots that would finish a lot of people. And he was right there, right back in my face. I couldn’t believe it.”

Radach would eventually land a stunning sequence of crushing blows that put a halt to the bout in the second round. Rua was very slow in recovering, spending several minutes on the mat following the stoppage.

Radach is certainly not an unknown commodity for hardcore MMA fans. A UFC and IFL veteran, the slugger has always been known for his heavy hands and exciting style. But with an impressive win on network television, Radach’s stock soared overnight.

“It was great,” Radach said. “I think all the CBS stuff really added to everything, and stirred up a lot of attention — which was really cool. I had a great experience, and then to come out with a win like that was pretty awesome.”

And by performing at his peak when it mattered most, Radach’s next bout could very well be for the EliteXC middleweight championship.

“It’s cool what TV does,” Radach said. “It got me right up there, and I did have the best night of my life on TV. I was blessed with that.”

Radach also discussed his attempted return to the UFC, his take on the controversy surrounding the night’s main event, and his understanding of EliteXC’s bonus structure. To hear the full interview, download Thursday’s edition of TAGG Radio, available for free in the TAGG Radio archives.

This story, written by John Morgan, was produced by TAGG Radio (www.taggradio.com) specially for MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). The show — which is hosted by fighter/broadcaster Frank Trigg, Gorgeous George and ace producer Goze — books some of the biggest names in MMA. Download all the former episodes at www.taggradio.com, or tune into TAGG Radio’s live shows Monday-Friday at noon ET/9 a.m. PT.

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